Nursing and nurses: the image and the reality.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Workforce Development
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The National Health Service (NHS) faces ongoing challenges in nurse recruitment and retention.
• Effective strategies are needed to address workforce shortages and ensure quality patient care.
• Previous recruitment and retention initiatives have had varying degrees of success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an effective marketing campaign for nurse recruitment and retention.
• To create a framework for regional strategies to support the nursing workforce.
• To ensure workforce support for the developed campaign and strategies.

Main Methods:

• National and regional process descriptions.
• Evidence base development from engagement and involvement events across the NHS.
• Consultation and engagement with the healthcare workforce.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive marketing campaign strategy was developed.
• A framework for regional nurse recruitment and retention strategies was established.
• The engagement process confirmed workforce support for the initiative.

Conclusions:

• The developed campaign and regional framework provide a robust approach to nurse recruitment and retention.
• Workforce engagement is critical for the success of healthcare marketing campaigns and strategic initiatives.
• The findings are relevant to the NHS in England, the wider UK, and international healthcare systems.